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Tuesday, 16 September 2014

I haven't done a trawl through my me made wardrobe for a while, so here's another one:

I made this dress years ago (I won't tell you how many) and did have a phase of wearing it. It's view A from this pattern:

Which is Vogue 1965 by Marc Jacobs. The pattern calls for a knit two way stretch knit - but I used a woven cotton as I remember finding the fabric and loving the colours - celadon green is one of my favourite colours - especially to wear, as is the right shade of red and this fabric combined both. I made a hidden bra inside using some green knit fabric I had.

So - why don't I wear it now... not really sure. I don't think it looks too bad, although I think it makes me look very apple shaped in this photo - maybe if my fitness regime that I've started is successful I'll feel better about wearing it next summer.

Tuesday, 9 September 2014

First are a pair of socks I've knitted for my MIL for Christmas - they're Laila's socks from Folk Knitting in Estonia by Nancy Bush. Raveled here. This is the second time I've knitted them, the first pair were for me. I really like the design and how simple, yet effective the colourwork is.

Next is the Lottie Blouse that came with the 2nd editions of Love Sewing magazine - I saw this pattern and bought the magazine over the internet specifically for it.

I bought the fabric in Spain at the same time as the fabric I used for Frances' dress - it was in the remnant bin - it's a light cotton which I thought would make a nice top (everyone else thought it would make a nice skirt or dress).

I think the pussy bow is quite nice and feminine - I was a little worried I would look like I should be part of a 60s typing pool, but I like it.

It is a very simple pattern - a couple of darts in the front and very simple sleeves. I cut a straight size 10 and it fits fine. The opening at the front (hidden for the most part by the bow) is quite large, but allows it to easily get on and off without needing a button or zip.

And the back is just plain - sorry about the wrinkles... I wasn't particularly happy with the photos my husband took of me wearing it, so Flissy Anne wore it after me.

What I'm particularly pleased about is the inside...

The instructions called for the collar to be sewn into a tube and then attached, which would leave a raw edge at the back of the neck - this seemed unnecessary so I attached the collar like a normal collar, which is a lot neater.

I also french seamed all my seams - including my armholes (which I'd never done before), so the inside looks much more professional.

Monday, 1 September 2014

Just before we left to go on holiday I won a competition! I love all the giveaways on the sewing blogs, and enter quite a few - and apparently if you enter enough eventually you will win something. I won a copy of the First Day Dress pattern by Dana Made It. Now, although I enter quite a few competitions, I don't enter for anything I don't think I would actually use. I thought this pattern was very cute and I could see Frances wearing it.

While we were away on holiday I got my Mother-in-Law to take me to a fabric shop in Granada - I bought a couple of pieces of fabric, one of which with Frances in mind.

It's a nice, light cotton with a border print, which is just her colours.

I was originally hoping to make Frances the version of the dress with a circle skirt as she would love a twirly skirt, but because of the border print I decided it would be better to utilise that. So, I cut it on the cross grain and positioned the bodice pieces so that the print on the dress flows from small to large as you get to the hem. The skirt part I cut as a rectangle 2 1/2 times the length of the bottom of the bodice and gathered it. I lined the bodice with some leftover sheeting, but left the skirt unlined. I also added the cap sleeves as I think they're very cute.